Blog Archive

Spring Break Employment for International Students in F-1 or J-1 immigration status

Posted on Thursday, Mar 10, 2016

This is a reminder message for the campus community regarding on-campus employment of international students. Due to confusion on these issues, International Student Services (ISS) has worked with Payroll, the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies (OGAPS) and the Registrar to clarify the information and to provide answers to frequently asked questions.

WORKING MORE THAN 20 HOURS PER WORK WEEK DURING SPRING BREAK 2015

According to federal regulations, international students “may work on campus full-time when school is not in session, or during the annual vacation” 8 C.F.R. 214(f)(9)(i).

Students may be able to work more than 20 hours/week) at 12:01 AM (midnight) immediately after the last class day before Spring Break.

Students will have to stop working more than 20 hours/week at 11:59 PM (midnight) immediately before the first day of classes after the Spring Break.

Please note that the dates and duration of the Spring Break, (end date of classes, resumption date of classes) may vary depending on campus and professional college. See the table below for specific dates for each entity.

In accordance with federal and University regulations, international students in F-1 or J-1 immigration status areeligible to work full-time(within OGAPS and FLSA guidelines) during the break period:

Starting at 12:01 AM on the day immediately following the last day of classes before the Spring Break

Ending at 11:59 PM on the day immediately preceding the first day of classes after the Spring Break

Campus or Professional College

Last day of classes before Spring Break 2016

First day of classes after Spring Break 2016

Texas A&M University, College Station Campus, incl.
HSC School of Rural Public Health

March 11, 2016

March 21, 2016

Texas A&M University, Galveston Campus

March 11, 2016

March 21, 2016

Texas A&M Law School

March 11, 2016

March 21, 2016

Texas A&M Baylor College of Dentistry

N/A

N/A

Texas A&M HSC, College of Medicine

March 11, 2016

March 21, 2016

Texas A&M HSC, College of Nursing

March 11, 2016

March 21, 2016

Texas A&M HSC, College of Pharmacy

March 11, 2016

March 21, 2016

Please be aware that the repercussions for an international student who is in violation of employment rules are serious. A student who works more than 20 hours a week when not legally eligible to do so loses his/her non-immigrant status and is considered to have unlawful presence in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has little tolerance for international students who lose their status due to unauthorized employment. In fact, there is a zero tolerance policy for international students who lose their legal status due to unauthorized employment. It is unlikely that such an international student can successfully petition with DHS to regain legal status in the U.S.